Cistern-cover.



J. E. HEWITT.

GISTERN COVER.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN.28,1910.

Patented Dec. 2o, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES E. HEITT, OF LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS.

CISTERN-COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Dec. 2t), 1910.

Application tiled anuary 2S, 1910. Serial No. 540,642.

b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES E. Hinvrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at League City, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cistern-Covers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in covers for cisterns, wells, and the like, and more particularly to an improved joint or connection for the casing of a pump.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which will be dust and dirt proof and entirely sanitary, and in which the cistern pump body will be so mounted that it may be swung-'back to one side to permit of ready access to the cistern or well and the pump mechanism for cleaning or repairing purposes.

1With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a perspective view of a pump connected to my improved cistern cover; Figs. 2 and 3 are detail vertical longitudinal and transverse sectional views; Fig. -l is a perspective view of the lower stationary portion of the cover and Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the upper swinging section of the cover.

Referring more particularly to the drawing l denotes a body or casing of a pump of any form and construction, the one illustrated being an ordinary crank operated. cha-in pump commonly used in cisterns and wells. This casing is of elongated cylindrical shape and has at its bottom an outwardly projecting attaching llange 2,-which latter is adapted to be detachably secured by screws, bolts or similar fastenings 3 to the upper swinging section e. of my improved cover. This section is preferably formed from sheet metal and is of rectangular shape, its central portion having an opening of a size corresponding to the opening in the pump body or casing l, and the edge of said opening being upturned to. form a surrounding flange 5 which projects into the casing l so that water, dust, dirt and other foreign mattei.' can not enter the cistcrn beneath the flange 2. i

The four edges of the cover section l are downturned to provide tlangesvG, which latter engage the outer edges of an upstanding rim or collar T provided around an opening in a lower cover section 8, which latter may be the ordinary wooden top of a cistern or well and the surrounding collar or rim T is also preferably made of wood, white lead or other thick paint being used to render the connection between the parts T, S, watertight so that water, dirt or other tine mattei' can not work into the well beneath the collar 7. The dowuturned or depending tlanges G on the cover section lprevent dirt and line matter from working up over the collar 7 and entering the cistern or well, but to further insure a sanitary connection between the two cover sections, and also to give the upper cover section and pump casing a firm bearing on the lower cover section so that the upper one can not shift horizontally, l provide upon the under face of the cover section f-l a continuous depending flange 9 which surrounds the central opening in said section and is adapted to enter within the collar or rim 7 and engage the inner face of the same. The depending flange 9 may be made of wood if desired, and may be secured by the screws or fastenings 3 which unite the pump casing to the cover section 4.

ln order to permit the pump to be frequently swung over to a horizontal position to permit of access to the cistern or well and pump mechanism for cleaning or repairing purposes, l reduce the height of one end of the collar 7 and secure upon it a sheet metal joint or hinge plate 10. The two ends and the outer side of the plate l0 have their edges downturned to engage the corresponding` edges of the reduced end piece ll of the collar 7, while the inner side edge of the plate l0 is bent upwardly to engage the depending flange (3 on the corresponding end of the metal cover 4. This construction provides a durable hinge connection or joint between the two cover sections which will permit the upper one 4 to swing backwardly on the flange l2 of the plate l0 of the lower cover section 8, thereby permitting free access to the eistern and pump. By making the parts l0, l2. il, of metal it will be seen that the cover may be frequently opened with little or no wear on said parts, consequently the life of the cover will be very great. The peculiar' construction of the cover sections not only renders the device exceedingly inexpensive as well as strong and durable, but also enables the cover to be quickly opened without losing any bolts or other fastening devices.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. A well or cistern cover comprising a lower stationary section having an opening, an upstanding collar surrounding the. opening, a plate secured on one end olf said cover and having its inner edge formed with an upturned l'lange, an upper swinging cover section having a central opening formed with its edge upturned to provide a surrounding ange to enter the casing or body of the pump, the outer edges of said swinging cover section being downturned to engage the outer edges of said collar, the depending iange at one end of the swinging cover section being adapted to engage the flange ol2 said plate, whereby the swinging cover section may be swung upwardly on said plate, and a depending flange on the bottom of the swinging cover section surrounding the opening in said swinging cover section and adapted to enter the collar on the stationary cover section.

2. A well or cistern cover comprising a lower stationary section having an opening, an upstanding collar surrounding the opening, a plate secured on one end ot' said cover and having its inner edge formed with an upturned flange, the other edges of said plate being' downturned, a pump body or casing having an outwardly extending base flange, a swinging cover section consisting of a plate formed with a central opening having its edge upturned to provide a iiange to enter the pump body or casing, the outer edges of the swinging cover section being downturned to engage the outer edges of the collar on the stationary cover section, the Ylange at one end of said swinging cover section being engaged with the upturned tiange of the plate on the stationary cover section, whereby the swinging cover section may be swung' upwardly on said plate, a depending tiange on the under tace of the swingingl cover section surrounding the opening therein and adapted to enter the collar on the stationary cover section, and fastenings unitingl the last mentioned depending flange, the swinging' cover section plate and the lange on the pump body or casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. HEVITT. iVitnesses J. E. Ross, D. C. XVI-runnen. 

